Lighting fixture



June 19, 1934. WAKEFIELD 1,963,218

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY6.

June 19, 1934. WAKEFIELD 1,963,218

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W v INVENTOR.

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June 19, 1 934. A. F. WAKEFIELD LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 6, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 3 .V. 3 m D u x v a 0 l 1 d m w M 6 U- Ll; IL w 3/ m 6.'Mfln 3 0% =1? fia ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTUREAlbert F. Wakefield, Vermilion, Ohio, assignor to The F. W. WakefieldBrass Company, Vermilion, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio This inventionrelates to lighting fixtures, and more particularly to fixtures whichcan be readily applied to buildings presenting various conditions, andwithout requiring a built-in or embedded placement. It is among theobjects of the invention to provide a unit form of fixture capable ofbeing used individually or in assembly with similar units in simple orelaborate geometric arrangement. Another object is the provision of aconstruction having universal wiring connections adaptable irrespectiveof the number of units assembled.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrativeembodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but afew of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

In said annexed drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a face view of a unit fixture in accordance with theinvention; Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showing various geometricassemblies of such units; Fig. 4 is an isometric view of an assembly offour units as positioned on a ceiling, the scale being somewhatenlarged; Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a unit base-plate; Fig. 5a is areduced face view of a base-plate with lamps thereon; Fig. 6 is atransverse section of a unit; Fig. 6a. is a reduced side elevationalview of a slightly different form; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspectivedetail; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional detail; Fig. 9 is aplan view of a plurality of unit base-plates as assembled withcurrent-carrying contact-means, the cover plate of the latter beingremoved; Fig. 10 is a plan view on a large scale of the contact-means;Fig. 11 is a sectional view thereof taken on a plane indicated by theline XIXI, Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a view of the contact-means with portionsremoved,

member 2, in whole or in part of glass, transparent or translucent byfrosting or like means, such member being in a form to be supported froma suitable base-plate 3 which is secured to the ceiling or wall surface.The luminous member in cleaning and changing, etc.

some instances is a lamp, for example of filament or glowing-g s types,and in other instances the luminous member is an outer cover over a lampor plurality of lamps within. In the form shown in Fig. 6, the luminousmember is a light-transmitting cover over a lamp S, and is here of atroughlike form having truncated pyramidal ends. Whatever the detailconstruction of the lighting member 2, it is adapted to assemble, memberto member, in various numbers and arrangements, whether in straight-lineassembly end to end, or in radiating form, or various enclosedrectangular, polygonal or circular arrangement as the fancy of theultimate user ma dictate. With a lighttransmitting member 0 such form,suitable accommodation for a lamp or lamps therewithin is thusadvantageously had, and such lamps may be supported by suitablelamp-carrier means on the base-plate 3. One suitable arrangement forthis is shown in Fig. 5a. The light-transmitting member 2 is supportedon the base-plate, preferably in a manner permitting easy removal forFor this, the base may carry, as by means of hinges 4 (see Figs. 6, '7)a rim or flange-member 5 of a shape toco-act with the edge of the.light-transmitting member 2', so as to retain the latter within the rimwhen properly positioned and closed.

In the form shown in Fig. 6a the luminous member 2" is itself a lampmounted on the base 3.

At a suitable point in the periphery of the base, preferably at the end,provision is made for ourrent-carrying contact connections.Advantageously, the current supply may be had from current-conductingmembers 6, 7, which are connected with an outlet box in the wall orceiling, as for instance by wires and contact-arms c, the wiresextending through a hickey or like element 8, Fig. 14, the precisedetail of which may, of course, be varied and is immaterial. Thecurrent-carrying members 6, 7, are desirably arranged in such manner asto be accessible at any one of a number of various points, therebysimplifying assembly of units therewith, irrespective of the number ofunits desired in any installation. In the embodiment of this feature ofthe invention illustrated in detail in Figs. 9-14, it will be seen thatthe current-carrying members may members and the lamps in thelight-transmitting members, contact-blades are provided, allowing asimple plugging-in action to establish current fiow. Such blades may becarried by the members variously as convenient, but in the formillustrated in Figs. 10, 12 and 14, comprise short blades 12 and longblades 13, each having a hooked end 14 adapted to set against theconductors 6, 7, respectively. The free ends of such blades then projectand are available for insertion into relation with receiving-prongs 15in the end of the adjacent unit base. The latter prongs are, of course,carried in suitable insulating material 16 and are secured in the baseand wire connected to the lamps. Within the plates 9, 10, it will beseen that the current-carrying members 6, 7, are thus available at anydesired point circumferentially, and by correspondingly contouring theadjacent surfaces of the unit-bases, an accurately fitting assemblydisguising the built-up character of the device may be had. A furtherornamental rosette-like plate 17 may be applied over the plate 10 andbeheld by suitable means, for instance a plug 18 threaded into a tube19.

In the mounting of fixtures of this character, an outlet box beingavailable on the ceiling or wall surface, the contact-carrying plates 9,10 are mounted in relation with the outlet box, with the connector orthe like 8, and then in accordance with the number of luminous units tobe applied, one or more base-plates 3 are brought into relation with thecontact-blades in position, and the base is secured in place by screwsapplied at two or more points through the slots 20. In this manner, suchnumber of units as may be desired may be assembled to a common source ofcurrent, and a correspondingly simple or more extensive fixture lay-outresults, and coloration effects variously may be had, dependent upon theglass employed in the light-transmitting covers. As already noticed,where lamps within a cover are used, these may be mounted on the base 3in convenient manner. If the unit be large and more than one lamp beenclosed, it is preferable to place the lamps on the base somewhat inline in order to uniformize the light-distribution. One illustration ofthis is shown in the arrangement of the lamps 21 in staggered sockets22, in Fig. 5a.

It will thus be seen also that the refinements of artistic lighting aremade possible on any available ceiling or wall surface where an outletcan be had, without necessitating recourse to elaborate and expensiverecessing or special indenting to receive the fixture, andrelief-lighting with its correspondingly advantageous lateraldistribution is feasible in manifoldapplication.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided the meansstated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, beemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and'distinctly claim as myinvention:-

1. In combination with a ceiling or wall surface, a lightning unitseatable on such surface to project in relief thereon for lateral andvertical radiation and having electric terminals, an electrical outletmeans on such surface, and means for connecting the unit with the outletmeans at any circumferential point, said means including contactsurfaces mateable uniformly at all orbital points between said outletmeans and said lighting unit.

2. In combination with a ceiling or wall surface, a plurality oflamp-containing units joined together thereon in peripheral relation,and electrio-connector means joining electrically said units at theperiphery in optional angles.

3. In combination with a ceiling or wall surface, a plurality oflamp-containing units joined together thereon in peripheral relation andhaving truncated pyramidal lateral faces, and electric-connector meansjoining electrically said units at the periphery in optional angles.

4. In combination with a ceiling or wall surface, a plurality oflamp-containing units joined together thereon in peripheral relation,each unit having an elongated body and angularly faceted sides, andelectric-connector means joining electrically said units at theperiphery in optional angles.

5. In combination with a ceiling or wall surface, a lighting unit seatedon said surface, and an outlet means on said surface having asubstantially continuous annular opening for receiving connections fromsaid unit at any circumferential point.

6. In a lighting fixture, a lamp-containing unit having a base-plate,means for mounting the base-plate on a plane support-surface, alamp-carrier on such base-plate, and currentsupply contact-meansincluding spaced insulating plates, circularly placed conductors betweensaid plates, and contact-blades resting against the respectiveconductors and projecting from between the insulating plates andconnecting with said lamp-carrying unit.

7. In a lighting fixture, spaced insulating plates, concentriccurrent-carrying conductors between said plates, long and short contactblades resting against the respective conductors, and a luminous unithaving a base mounted on a plane support-surface, such base having alsocontactprongs assembled with the contact-blades.

8. In a lighting fixture, spaced insulating plates, current-carryinghelices between said plates, long and short contact-blades havinghook-ends resting against the respective helices, and a luminous unithaving a base with contactprongs assembled with such contact-blades.

9. In a lighting fixture, spaced insulating plates, current-carryinghelices in grooves in one of said plates, long and short contact-bladeshaving hook-ends resting against the respective helices, and a pluralityof luminous units having bases with contact-prongs in association withthe contact-blades.

10. In a lighting fixture, spaced insulating plates, current-carryinghelices in grooves in one of said plates, long and short contact-bladeshaving hook-ends resting against the respective helices, and a pluralityof lamp-carrying units having ceiling-attached bases with contactprongsin association with the contact-blades, and light -transmitting coversover said lampcarrying units, said light-transmitting covers being1 ofelongated trough-like form with pyramidal en s.

ALBERT F. WAKEFIELD.

